If you struggle to drink regular water, sparkling water may be a good alternative. Benefits include:
Sparkling Water: Are There Benefits?
Sparkling water, also known as “seltzer water” or “carbonated water,” is water that has carbon dioxide bubbles in it. This gas may be natural or it may be infused into still water.
In some forms, it can be a refreshing and healthy alternative to soda. Different types of sparkling water include club soda, soda water, seltzer water, mineral water, and tonic water.
Mineral water may have natural bubbles along with minerals and sulfur compounds from a mineral spring. Tonic water has quinine along with sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.
Other sparkling waters or seltzers also have added sugars or artificial sweeteners, so it’s important to read the nutrition label before purchasing.
Sparkling Water Benefits
If you struggle to drink regular water, sparkling water may be a good alternative. Benefits include:
Hydration
Sparkling water is just as hydrating as still water. That’s helpful if the bubbles get you to drink enough water every day. Dehydration can be quite serious. If you’re dehydrated, you may have dry mouth, fatigue, headache, and trouble thinking clearly. Chronic dehydration could contribute to digestive issues and complications with the heart and kidneys.
May Help With Weight Management
Staying hydrated is key to losing weight. Drinking enough water can help you feel satisfied longer and consume fewer calories throughout the day. In addition, unsweetened sparkling water can serve as a refreshing replacement for soda and other sugary drinks that add empty calories and raise the risk of conditions like obesity and type 2 diabetes.
May Improve Digestion
People who experience digestive problems may find some relief from sparkling water. Research indicates that consuming it may help soothe symptoms of constipation, such as stomach pain and irregular bowel movements.
Potential Risks of Sparkling Water
Hidden Sweeteners
If you don’t like plain water, sparkling water is a good alternative to sugary sodas and fruit juices. The healthiest type of sparkling water is unflavored and unsweetened. But some sweetened sparkling waters and seltzers can add unwanted sugar to your diet.
Tooth Decay From Sweeteners
Sparkling waters that are high in sugar can cause tooth decay. But plain sparkling water has minimal effects on your teeth, especially compared to drinking soda. You can further prevent tooth decay by maintaining a good oral hygiene routine and by alternating sparkling water with plain water to cleanse your enamel.
Gas and Bloating
The carbonation in sparkling water causes some people to have gas and bloating. If you notice excessive gas while drinking sparkling water, your best bet is to switch to plain water. People who experience excessive gas or gastroesophageal reflux disease, also known as GERD, should avoid sparkling water as it may trigger symptoms including increased gas and acid reflux.
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Is Sparkling Water Good for You?
Time to pop out the bubbly — water, that is! Sparkling water has become a popular alternative to soda, giving fun, fruity twists to your everyday hydration habits. But is it healthy?
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Registered dietitian Lauren Sullivan, RD, weighs in on the health benefits of sparkling water, including which kinds are best and worst for you.
Is sparkling water good for you?
So you’ve swapped soda for seltzer, and now you’re concerned that you’ve simply traded one bad habit for another. Good news: As long as you’re drinking sparkling water with no added sugars, you’ve made an A+ choice.
In many cases, sparkling water is just water — which is, of course, vital to your health. That said, there are a few different kinds of sparkling water, and they’re not all created equally.
- Seltzer is artificially carbonated water, plain and simple, though some kinds include natural fruit flavors and/or sugar. (A note: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration technically differentiates between seltzer and sparkling water based on their carbonation processes. For consumer purposes, though, they’re the same.)
- Mineral water, which is sourced from a spring or well, is naturally carbonated water that includes minerals like magnesium and calcium.
- Club soda is artificially carbonated and enhanced with added minerals like sodium bicarbonate and potassium sulfate.
- Tonic water is also artificially carbonated and enhanced with added minerals, including quinine, which provides that signature bitter taste. It also includes sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.
Feel free to crack open sugar-free seltzers and mineral waters to your heart’s delight — but limit tonic water. Not only does it include added sugars, but too much quinine can also cause an upset stomach, headaches, ringing in the ears, as well as other medically serious unpleasant side effects, like organ damage, severe bleeding and changes to your heart rhythm.
Benefits of drinking sparkling water
OK, so you know carbonated water is better for you than sugary soda, juice and energy drinks. But aside from sugar content, what, exactly, makes the bubbly so much better?
1. Helps you hydrate
There’s one benefit so big it bears repeating: hydration, hydration, hydration. Sparkling water is just as hydrating as its bubble-free counterpart, so if you’re struggling to drink enough water during the day, there’s no harm in swapping a glass or two of still water for the fruity, fizzy stuff. Remember, though — no added sugars!
2. Makes you feel full
“Drinking sparkling water may lead to experiencing a short-term, immediate increase in satiety, or fullness,” Sullivan says. Some studies show that carbonated water keeps you feeling fuller for longer — and may even keep food in your stomach for longer than regular water.
3. May relieve constipation
In one study, people experiencing constipation after a stroke reported significant relief after two weeks of drinking sparkling water. Another study found that sparkling water brought relief to people with indigestion.
4. Eases the transition from sugary drinks
If you’re trying to kick a soda addiction or scale down on daily lattes, sparkling water could be the ticket to tricking your brain out of bad habits. You can even use herbs, fruit or cucumber to enhance the flavor of sparkling water.
“It can be difficult to transition from sweet drinks to water, but flavored seltzers and sparkling water can help,” Sullivan says. “Water, whether plain or carbonated, is better than high-calorie, sugar-infused drinks.”
The side effects of sparkling water
As long as you’re choosing sugar-free, caffeine-free varieties, there aren’t many risks to worry about. “There is very little specific research showing that sparkling water has a negative impact on health,” Sullivan says. But there are a few things to watch out for.
Stomach issues
You might experience temporary but unwanted side effects from sparkling water if you’re prone to tummy troubles:
- Burping.
- Bloating.
- Gas.
- Stomach pain.
If you find that your stomach doesn’t tolerate the carbonation well, scale back your sparkling water intake and stick to still water.
Teeth troubles
“Sparkling water may also contain minerals, whether natural or infused during the process of carbonation, that can lead to changes in your tooth enamel,” Sullivan warns. Be on the lookout for anything that includes citric acid, phosphorous or sugar, all of which can contribute to enamel erosion.
Regular seltzer, though, has not been shown to have a significant effect on enamel.
Keep your sparkling water simple
“Sparkling water may contain sugar, artificial sweeteners, caffeine and other additives,” Sullivan emphasizes, “but the best kind is the simple, straightforward kind, just water and carbonation.”
Sugar is associated with heart disease, diabetes, obesity and other chronic conditions; artificial sweeteners can cause stomach issues. And although caffeine is typically safe for healthy adults in limited amounts, there’s no safe level of caffeine intake for kids.
In other words, your sparkling water only qualifies as water if it’s not filled with other stuff. As long as you stick to the basics, feel free to drink your fill of the fizz.
Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
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